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NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY
AHS and Recovery Alberta share resources, risk factors, and warnings for suicide
Sep 10, 2024 | 3:18 PM
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On World Suicide Prevention Day, Alberta Health Services (AHS) and Recovery Alberta are sharing what supports are available and how people can help prevent suicide by understanding risk factors and warning signs.
In adults, warning signs of potential suicidal thoughts or plans include:
- Talking or writing about wanting to die or to hurt or kill themselves, or someone else.
- Saying they feel hopeless, trapped, without purpose, in pain, or like they’re a burden to others.
- Looking for ways to harm themselves. For example, they might buy a gun or stockpile medicines.
- Increasing their use of alcohol or drugs.
- Withdrawing from family, friends and activities.
- Seeming angry, grumpy, anxious or depressed.
- Eating or sleeping less or more than usual.
- Doing risky things, such as driving too fast.
- Giving away their belongings.
Experiencing barriers to accessing social and health services, as well as mental illness, traumatic life events, family violence, discrimination, or a diagnosis of a serious physical illness are all factors that can increase someone’s risk of suicide.
